Ideas of Adrian Bardon, by Theme

[American, fl. 2013, Professor at Wake Forest Unviersity.]

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6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 5. The Infinite / l. Limits
The modern idea of 'limit' allows infinite quantities to have a finite sum
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / e. Being and nothing
An equally good question would be why there was nothing instead of something
26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / c. Counterfactual causation
Why does an effect require a prior event if the prior event isn't a cause?
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 2. Thermodynamics / d. Entropy
Becoming disordered is much easier for a system than becoming ordered
27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 6. Space-Time
The universe expands, so space-time is enlarging
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 1. Nature of Time / c. Idealist time
We should treat time as adverbial, so we don't experience time, we experience things temporally [Bardon]
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 1. Nature of Time / i. Denying time
How can we question the passage of time, if the question takes time to ask?
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / b. Rate of time
What is time's passage relative to, and how fast does it pass?
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / e. Tensed (A) series
The A-series says a past event is becoming more past, but how can it do that?
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / f. Tenseless (B) series
The B-series needs a revised view of causes, laws and explanations
The B-series is realist about time, but idealist about its passage
The B-series adds directionality when it accepts 'earlier' and 'later'
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / g. Time's arrow
We judge memories to be of the past because the events cause the memories
To define time's arrow by causation, we need a timeless definition of causation
The psychological arrow of time is the direction from our memories to our anticipations
The direction of entropy is probabilistic, not necessary, so cannot be identical to time's arrow
It is arbitrary to reverse time in a more orderly universe, but not in a sub-system of it
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / h. Change in time
It seems hard to understand change without understanding time first
We experience static states (while walking round a house) and observe change (ship leaving dock)
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / i. Time and motion
The motion of a thing should be a fact in the present moment
Experiences of motion may be overlapping, thus stretching out the experience
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / j. Time travel
At least eternal time gives time travellers a possible destination
Time travel is not a paradox if we include it in the eternal continuum of events
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 3. Parts of Time / d. Measuring time
We use calendars for the order of events, and clocks for their passing